COMMON WAR PLAN

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23585, 12 March 1942, Page 4

COMMON WAR PLAN

Defence of Anzac Area N.Z. MISSION TO AUSTRALIA (P a.) AUCKLAND, March 11. A mission of the utmost importance to New Zealand and to the conduct of Allied operations in the Anzac, area of the Pacific zone has been cQ'mpleted by the Minister for Supply (the **on. P’ t £; Sullivan) and another memberofthe War Cabinet (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates), who are in Auckland after a fortnight s visit to Australia. During their absence they have held continuous consultations with the Australian War Cabinet, the Commonwealth War Advisory Council, which includes members of the Opposition, and with the Chiefs of Staff of the two countries. They also enjoyed the advantage of having had close discussions with the American representa--11 The results of the visit have to go before the British and United States Governments for consideration. In a joint interview Messrs Sullivan and Coates said they had been greatly heartened by the immediate outcome of their mission. . “Important matters before us have gone as far as words can take them, said Mr Coates. "Now all that remains is action.” ~ ’ ’ “We took to Australia, said Mr Sullivan, “certain defence proposals, which represented the views of the New Zealand War Cabinet. They concerned broad principles and details for the defence of New Zealand and Australia, and the various areas for which the two countries are responsible. We wished to arrive at a common plan and a definite one. and as a result of the response of Australia we have returned feeling that this has been achieved. Varying Viewpoints “Having regard for the Australian historical outlook, the ideas we took with us were of a type which was-some-thing a little different from previously held Commonwealth ideas as to the conduct of the war. Consultations began with fairly wide discussions over varying viewpoints, first with the War Cabinet and then with the Advisory War Council.

"We put forward to the Prime Minister (Mr Curtin) and his colleagues, our view of the necessity of building a common plan to which both countries could work on land, at sea. and in the air. The next stage was to get out plans from the respective Chiefs of Staff for the defence in depth of both countries, acting first on the principle of building up supply bases, and then of reaching the' point where we can take the offensive.”

“Taken into consideration,” said Mr Coates, “were al} matters relating to the general strategic layout. The whole basis of all the consultations was the question of arriving at a common plan of strategy for our two countries, and for the areas in which both are concerned. We took the consultations to a stage where the scheme was accepted in its general principles. It now has to go to Mr Churchill and Mr Roosevelt and their colleagues. “There were two sets of discussions,” continued Mr Coates. “One was with the Cabinet and the Advisory War Council, and the other was with the Chiefs of Staff, and in the end each dovetailed into one integral whole, and the proposals in substance which were worked out by each, and in relationship with one another, were accepted. American Agreement

"Mr Sullivan and 1 were fortunate in being able to approach the consultations with the advantage of having held discussions wfth the American representatives. These gentlemen were in general agreement with the lines which we pursued, and which they regarded as being not only sound and right, but also imperative and urgent.” “We also held discussions on supply matters related to strategical aspects,” said Mr Sullivan, "and assuming that the recommendations regarding strategy meet with the approval of the British and United States authorities, a procedure has been worked out that offers encouraging possibilities so far as New Zealand and Australia are concerned. This means that certain bases of supply procedure have been agreed to against the general background of the major question of strategy. “In spite of differences of opinion to start with, the consultations held progressed amicably to a point where we were able to return to New Zealand confident in our feeding that as a result our two countries will work together in all points to one common end. We have a very deep feeling of gratitude to the Australians for the way in which they responded to our proposals and did everything they could to arrive at the very satisfactory conclusion which has been reached. In spite of the difficult times in which we are all working, we have come back very encouraged about the future,”